Electric-signal recorder.



N. H. SUREN. Y ELECTRIC SIGNAL RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.16,190B.

Patented 001;: 26, 1909.

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ELECTRIC SIGNAL RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.16, 1908.

988,285. Patented 0@t.26,1909.

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N. H. SUREN.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.16, 1908.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

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Jwevz 30 N. H. SUREN.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.16,1908.

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NATHAN H. SUBEN, 0F NEEDHAM, -MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB T0 THE G FIRE-ALARM TELEGRAPB'. COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F N'EW YORK.

ELECTRIC-'SIGNAL RECORDER. Y

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patentedct. 26,1909.

Application ,filed October 16, 1908. Serial No. 458,042.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, NATHAN H. SUREN, of Needham, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement 1n Electric-Signal Recorders, of which the following is a specifica-tion.

This invention relates-to electric signal recorders for recording fire-alarm, police and other signals on a tape.

The invention has for its object to provide means for cutting or slotting the tape so as to form tongues, instead of marking or indenting or punching the tape as. has heretofore been done, and to turn under the tongues or fold them back upon the tape to produce holes therethrough. Also to so construct the cutting-tool that a -V-shaped tongue will be cut by it, which, when turned back upon the tape will present a triangularly shaped hole in the tape. Also to so arrange the cuttingtool that the V-shaped tongues will be formed and pointed in the direction of movement of the tape, so that they may be turned under or baekupon the tape as the ta e is moved along. Also to provide means or forming holes through the tape of such shape as t0 indicate at a glance the direction the signal must be read, as for instance the holes may have dissimilar end coming a serious di culty incident to the employment of the usual means for marking,

V indenting, or punctliring the'tape. Also to so construct a triangular cutting-tool that it will begin tof cut thetape at the apexof its triangular portion and will continue the incisions along the sides of the triangle while the tape is moved along, thereby permitting movement of the tape while the tape is being cut. Also to provide independent means for lifting'the cutting-bar immediately after itV has been depressed by the electro-magnet, thereby immediately removing the cuttingtool from the moving tape to obviate tearing the tape.`VV` Also to provide actuating-means for the cutting-bar operated by an electromagnet, or by any one of several electromagnets, which `is adapted to depress said bar to cause the cutting-tool to cut the-tape and then disengage it, permitting it to'be lifted by independent means provided for the purpose, whereby the cutting of the tape is accomplished at the beginning of the signal impulse, and the duration of the im'- pulse has no effect upon the cutting `operortions, thereby overation. Also to provide improved releasingmechanism for the tape-moving train. Also to provide releasing-mechanism or the tapemoving train adapted to be operated to release said train by the actuating-lever which is'employed to depress the puncturing-bar. Also toA provide improved restoring means for said releasing-mechanism, Awhereby it is restored at the end of a predetermined period of time.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an electric signal recorder embodying this invention. F ig.- 2 is a plan view o the saine. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same. Figfll is a detail of the cutting devices, the cutting-tool being depressed. Fig. 5 is a detail similar to Fig.

4, thecutting-tool being raised but the 'actuating-lever therefor being in its abnormal position. Figs. (3 and 7 are front and sectional views respectively of the cutting-tool. Figs. 8 and 9 are details of the stop-arm for the releasing-mechanism of the tape moving train. Fig. 10 is a detail of the releasinglever and cooperating parts. Figs. 11 and 12 are plan and sectional views of the cut or slotted tape, and F 13 is a lan view of the tape showing a tongue o a modiiied form. ,s

The recorder herein shown for the purpose of illustrating my invention is of the multiple pen variety, it being arranged for five circuits. TheV receiving electro-magnets a, see Fig. 1,V are arranged one above the other and are supported by an upright plate a.

The armatures a2 are attached to pivoted ture-levers and the next to the Yupper arma- 5 ture-lever are connected by rods a,5 with belli cranklevers a. loosely mounted on the uppermost pivotishaft, and said levers aos-are connected by rods al with three of the actuating-levers-b.. The arm. 1a.* of the middle armature-lever is connected by a rod as with a bell-crank lever a, looselymounted on the pivot-shaft above it, and said bell-crank lever is connected by a rod ,am .with a. bellcrank lever (L12, loosely mounted onthe upermost pivot-shaft, and said bell-crank.

ever a. connected by a rod a with one A of the actuating-levers rlhe armaturelever which is connected with the uppermost pivot-shaft has its arm a4 extended upward and connected by a rod c with one ci' the actuating-levers Z). Said actuatinglevers b are mounted on a pivot-shaft and extend downward and are formed or provided near their lower ends With means for depressing a cutting-har and also for operating the releasing-mechanism for the tapernoving train. rl'he actuating-levers are moved one Way hy said electromagnets and the other Way hy restoring-springs b2 Which are attached to them. As here shown, each actuating-lever has near its lower end a laterally extended pin b3 which entends over the top oland engages a dog on the cuttingbar, which it is designed to depress, and its lower end is formed to engage and depress a bar a, which is arranged horizontally beneath it and which is connected at its ends to the extremities of a pair of arms c secured to a pivot-shaft- 02. The bar c is'nade long enough to extend from side to side ci the set ot actuating-levers so as to he engaged by all of them. il single arm 03 is secured to the pivot shaft c2 Which extends downward and is arranged to operate the releasing-mechanisrnfor the tape-moving train, 'so that said train Will he released by and upon the operation of any one of the actuating-levers. rlhe bar c and arms c to which it is connected and the arin c3 secured to the pivot-shalt c2, constitute the startingdevice for the tape-moving train of which the arno c3 serves as the starting-lever.

d' represents one ci the cutting-hars9 see Figs 4e and 59 there being one for each actuating-lever. They are arranged side by side and independently pivoted at 03'? so that they may he operated independently or@ each other. They are made alike or suhstantially so. Each har has secured to its extremity a cutting-tool d2, herein also termed a slotting-tool orl marker, Which extends below the har and is arranged above a hole e in a plate e, or table, over which the tape f is moved. As the cutting-har is depressed the cuttinir-tool pierces the tape and enters the hole e rlhe preferred torni of cutting-tool which is herein shown consists of a shank having an inverted. triangular pyramidal end d3, the vertex or point of which first engages the tape. Such a tool presents a triangular cutting face arranged oblique to the plane oi the tape and is adapted to make two incisions in the tape 'which meet at a common point and thereby torni a luf-shaped or triangulartongue, represented at which when turned hack upon the un erside of the tape presents a l-shaped or triangular hole or slot in the tape7 see Figs. 11 and 12. Such a hole has dissimilar ends. ranged with the apex of its triangle at` the rihe triangular shaped tool is ar forward end, so that the t-shaped tongues Which are produced by its repeated operation, and the V shaped holes Which are formed by subsequently turning under said tongues upon the tapeJ are pointed in the directionV of the movement of the tape. The hole e is herein shown as square, but it may loe of any other shape, and the cutting-tool when depressed enters said hole and forces the tongue into said hole, so that as the tape is moved along said tongue will engage the front edge of the hole and Will be turned backward. lt will he noted that the shape of the hole e and the shape of the cuttingtcol are different, and hence the plate e having the hole does not cooperate with the cutting-tool to cut the tape, but merely provides an opening to permit depression of the tool. The cutting-tool herein shown, or any equivalent thereof, which is adapted to out the tape to produce tongues, possesses many advantages over a cutting-tool which is arranged to remove small pie-ces from the tape, particularly in that no die is required, and the necessity of keeping the punch and die sharpened so as to easily cut the tape is avoided.

No diliculty is experienced in sharpeningl tne cutting-tool herein showen. By so shaping the tool that the holes which are produced hy it in the tape by cutting or otherwise, have dissimilar' ends and arranging the 'tool in such manner that the hole are pointed in a certain directiong as for instance in the direction oi movement of the tape, the direction itc-r reading1 the signal is determined. This :feature is of particular advantage in reading the tape after it has been detached from the register, as there is no danger of reading the signal backward as is the case with the ordinary punching register Where circular holes are produced in the tape. By turning the tongues backward upon the tape always. in the same direction incidental to the movement of the tape always in the saine direction, said tongues will also indicate the direction for reading the signal even though the holes should have similarly shaped ends. lin. lieu of shaping the cutting-tool to form lil-shaped tongues it may he :termed Tfvith parallel sides and a `iff-shaped end to orin tongues as shown in Fig. 13, which Will loe turned hackvvard upon the tape.

li/ly invention, therefore, includes any form or tool for cutting or pertorating the tape which is made oi" such shape as to produce holes in the tape having dissimilar end ortions so as to determinel the manner or direction for reading the signal; and also cornprehends the employment of a cuttingtool, as contrasted to a punching-tool, when arranged to produce tongues in the tape which may he turned back on the under side thereof and thereby form holes therein.

sesame;v

The cutting-bars al are adapted to bedepressed, each by the operation of its own actuating-lever, and to be lifted by independentv means, and, as herein shown, a spring du is attached to each bar for the purpose of lift-ing it when permitted to act. A dog d4 is pivoted at d5 Vto each cutting-bar, which extends above the bar a short distance, and each dog is arranged to be engaged bythe pin b3 on the adjacent actuating-lever for the purpose of depressing the bar. Each dog is restrained from movement in one direction as the pin b3 passes over it, to thereby depress the bar, and is free to move in the opposite direction to permit the return of the pin after the 'bar' has been raised. As herein shown, each dog is held in its normal elevated position against a pin d on the bar bearing it, by means of a spring d?, and by means of said pin is restrained from movement in one direction and by means of said spring is permitted to yield for the ret-urn of the pin b3. When any one of the actuating-levers is moved on its pivot by the operation of its corresponding electro-magnet the pin b3 borne by it is moved in the arc of a circle inthe direction the dog is restrained from movement, and by engaging the top of the dog, 'which is herein shown as inclined, acts to depress lthe dog and the bar Bearing it. This movement of the pin is sufficient to pass by and disengage the dog, whereupon the bar is immediately raised by the spring all. At the end of the signalimpulse the actuating-lever is returned to itslnormal position, and as the pin b returns it passes over the dog and the latter moves on its pivot to permit such return movement of the pin. Therefore, it will be observed, that at the beginning of a signal-` impulse the actuating-lever operates to depress the cutting-bar for the purpose of cutting the tape, and that immediately said bar is raised by independent means, so that the duration of the signal-impulse has no effect upon the operation of the cutting-bar.

g represents the upper tape-feeding roller which is freely Arevoluble and g the lower tape feeding roller which is positively driven. The upper roller is borne frame which is movable manually in any Well-known or suitable manner for the purpose of lifting it from the tape whenever required. 'lhe roller g is connected with andoperated by" amotor-driven'train for the purpose of feeding along the tape, and as the latter rests on the plate e it will be observed that as it isfedalongthe tongue f- Which are produced by the cutting-tool and which are projected into the hole e', are turned under or folded against its under side, and as the tape having the tongues turned under it passes between the rollers g and g, said tongues will be rolled down upon the tape. Any suitable train of gears by. a.

may be provided 4for positively drivin-gl the 'feeding rollers g', one form being herein.

shown merely for the sake of illustrationg2 represents 1 the escape-wheel for the train having thereon a stop-pin g3, which is adapted to be engaged by an arm g* of a pivoted 'releasing-lever, the other arm g of which is adapted to be'engaged by a pin g on the main stop-arm g?. The releasinglever is held in engagement`with said stoppin g3 by a locking-lever, herein shown as a bell-crank lever, one arm gs of which bears a projection gn which is adapted to occupy a position back of the lower end of the releasing-lever to thereb hold said lever and the other arm g1 of W ich extends upward and is also adapted to be engaged by said pin g on the main stop-arm. A spring g12 is connected to the releasing-lever which when permitted to act moves said lever to disengage the stop-pin g3 and thereby release the train, and said spring is also connected tothe locking-lever and acts to move saidV lever into its locking position. The single spring performing these two functions is herein employed merely for simplicity of construction. The end of the arm g10 of the locking-lever which engages the pin g6 is beveled and as the pin g is moved downward by the stop-arm it moves over the beveled end of the arm g1 and thereby moves the locking-lever suiiiciently to cause the projection g thereon to pass beneath the end of the arm gfi of the releasing'lever and thereby disengage said releasing-lever. As the pin g6 is moved downward it is also removed from engagement with the arm gj of the releasing-lever, so that the releasingleveris permitted to operate as soon as disengaged by the locking-lever. As the'pin g is moved upward it engages the arm g5 Vof the releasing-lever and restores the lever to its normal position and also-permits the locking-lever to resume'its normal position. As the releasing-lever resumes its normal position it is quite important that it shall instantly engage the stop-pin g3 when brought into proper position instead of ridplish this result the arm g* is pivotally connected ,to the main body portion of the releasing-lever by a pivot-pin g3", whichpermits lateral movement thereof, and the projection g0 on the locking-lever is formed with an inclined side which `is engaged by said arm and acts to move said arm laterally on its pivot until it passes over said projection, It then suddenly returns and in doing so moves directly beneath the stop-pin g3 and enters a notch formed'in the under side ,ofsaid pin. A flat spring g31 is arranged on thereleasing-lever which acts to return the arm g* as soonas 'said arm passes over the inclined projection g". The stop-arm g7 is pivotally mounted on the arbor. g4 and is movable thereon through an arc so that the pin g is movable up and down a short distance only. To thus control and limit the movement of the stop-arm a pawl 713 is arranged thereon which engages a .ratchet-` toothed disk g14 herein shown as one of the side plates of the barrel containing the main spring. rlhe pawl is mo'vable into and out of engagement with said ratchet-toothed disk and when in engagement therewith is moved upward by it to in turn raise the stop-arm and when`disengaged from it the stop-armv is free to be depressed. A spring g20 is provided or depressing the stop-arm, which is connected at one end with said arm and at the other end to an arm g21 bearing a pin gtz which engages the lower end of an adjustable pin g-23. rllhe pawl is disenga ed rrom the disk at the beginning oit a signL impulse and is permitted or caused to rengage the disk only at the end of the signal impulse and such movement of the pawl is controlled bythe starting-lever 03, and as a result the train will be started at the beginnin of a signal impulse and will not only run `uring the continuance of said impulse, but will continue to run for a short period of time after said impulse has ceased.

As herein shown, the pawl has a laterally extended pin 915 which extends through and works in a slot g1G in the stop-arm and one end of a sliding-bar g is connected to said pin g1 which is supported in bearings on the stop-arm. Longitudinal movement of said bar operates the pawl. 'lllhe bar is provided at is opposite end with a laterally extended pin g18 which is engaged by the lower end of the starting lever 03, so as to be moved in one direction, as for instance, to disengage the pawl from the disk, by said startingleverA whenever the latter is operated by any one of the actuating-levers Z). A spring g19 is connected to the sliding-bar for the purpose of returning it when the' startinglever resumes its normal position. ylFhus the pawl is moved out ot' engagement with the disk by the starting lever and is returned by a spring as soon assaid starting-leverl resumes its normal position. As soon-as the pawl rengages the disk it is moved upward by said disk, together with the stop-arm bearing it, until the pin g6 has restored the 'releasing-lever and the locking-lever has resumed its lockingl position, at which time the 'train is arrested.

If for any reason the means herein described for arresting the train should not properly operate, althou h the pawl engages the disk, a severe strain will be brought upon the teeth of the disk and to obviate this the pawl 913 is provided with an extension g5 which is arranged to engage one of l the shafts of the train, as shaft gm, which acts to disen age the pawl and permit the stop-arm to again depressed, and such action will repeatedly continue until the spring runs down or the train has been otherwise arrested. lt will thus be seen that the pawl is repeatedly operated to disengage the disk upon the occurrence of the signal impulses and that it rengages the disk upon the cessation of the impulses and that the train continues to run only for a short period of time after the pawl has rengaged the disk or until the releasing-lever has been restored to normal position and 'the lockinglever has also been restored to normal position.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desirelto secure by Letters atent is l. lin a recorder, a, cutting-tool having a cutting face formed with dissimilar end portions to produce holes in the tape having dissimilar ends, whereby the direction for reading the signal may be determined;v and means for operating said tool, substantially as described. v

2. lin a recorder, a cutting-bar bearing a cutting tool having a triangularly shaped cutting tace, and means for operating said bar to cause the `tool to cut the tape, substantially as described.

3. ln a recorder, a cutting-bar bearing a cutting-tool having a triangularly shaped cutting tace arranged with its apex pointed in the direction of movement of the tape, and means for operating said bar to cause the tool to cut the tape, substantially as described.

d. In a recorder, a cutting-bar bearing a cutting-tooly having an inverted triangular pyramidal end, and means for operating said bar to cause the tool to cut the tape, substantially as described. I

5. ln a recorder, a cutting-bar bearing a cutting-tool having an inverted triangularto operate said marker, substantially as described.

7. A recorder including a marker adapted to form slots in the recording tape by means of a continuous cutting action and thereby forming depending tongues of paper, substantially as described.

' 8. In a recorder, a slotting-tool constructed to cut the tape to -orm a tongue, means for operating said tool, and means for moving the tape and for turning under the tongue as it is moved along, substantially as described.

9. .In a recorder, a cutting-tool constructed to cut the tape to form a tongue having dissimilar ends, means for operating said tool, and means for moving the tape and for turning under the/tongue as it is moved along, substantially as described.-

1Q. In a recorder, a cutting-tool constructed to form' a triangularly shaped tongue on the tape, which is pointed in the 'direction of movement of the tape, means 'plate whereby the tongue is turned backward on the under side of the tape by engaging the edge of said hole, substantially as described. i

12. In a recorder, a supporting-plate for the tape having a hole of a shape different from the cutting-tool and a cutting-tool having a triangular cutting face arranged oblique to the plane of the supporting plate, and means for. operating said tool, substantially as described.

13. In a recorder, a'supporting-plate for the tape having a hole of a shape diiferent from the cutting-tool, tape-moving mechanism, a cutting-tool having a triangular cutting face arranged oblique to the plane of the isuppciting-plate and with its apex f pointed in the direction of the movement of the tape, substantially as described.

14. In a recorder, a cutting-bar bearing a cutting-tool, electro magnetically operated actuating-means for depressing it to cause the tool to puncture the tape and for then disengaging it, and independent means for lifting it to remove the tool from the tape. as soon as they actuating-means disengages it, substantially as described.

15. In a recorder, a cutting-bar bearing a cutting-tool, a dog pivoted to said bar which is restrained from movement in one direction 'but permitted to move in the opposite direction, an actuating-lever bearing a pin adapted to engage said dog which, upon a continuous forward movement of the lever; depresses said dog and thel bar bearing it and then passes by and thereby disengages it, a spring connected with said bar for lifting it when the actuating-lever disengages the dog, andan electro-magnet for operating said actuating-lever, substantially as described.

16. In a recorder, the combination of a tape-moving train, releasing-mechanism therefor, a stop-arm for lsaid releasing-mechanism, a pawl borne by it, a vpower driven ratchet-toothed disk into and out of engagement with which said pawl is movable and by which said stop-arm is returned to and held in its normal position, substantially as described. v

17. In a recorder, the combination of ,a tape moving train, releasing mechanism therefor, a stop-arm for said releasing-mechanism, a pawl borne vby it, a power driven ratchet-toothed disk into and out of engagement with which said pawl is movable and by which said stop-arm is'returned to and held in its normal position, and an electromagnetically operated starting lever for operating said pawl, substantially as described.

18. In a. recorder, the combination of a tape' moving train, a releasing-lever therefor, a lookin -lever for said releasing-lever, a stop-arm caring a pin arranged when moved 'in one direction to operate the locking-lever and permit the operation of the releasing-lever and when moved in the opposite direction to restore the releasing-lever and permit the return of the locking-lever, and means for-operating said stop-arm, substantially as described.

19. In a recorder, tape-moving train, a releasing-lever therethe combination of a l for having a pivotally connected arm, a locking-lever for said releasing-lever havin an inclined projection adapted to be engage by said arm, a stop-arm and means operated by it for operating said locking-lever and for restoring said releasing-lever, and means for operating said stop-arm, substantially as described.

20. In a recorder, the combination of a tape moving train, releasingmechanism therefor, a stop-arm for said releasing-mechanism, a pawl borne by it, a power driven ratchet toothed disk into and out of engagement with which said pawl is movable and by which said stop-arm isreturned to and held in its normal position when .the train is arrested, said pawl having an extension arranged to engage a fixed art to disengage the pawl from the disk, su stantially as described.

21. In a recorder, the combination of tapemoving mechanism, releasing-mechanism therefor, a plurality of markers adapted to slot the tape, separate electro-magnetically operated actuating devices for said markers, and means common to all said actuatingdevices for operating said releasing-mechanJ ism, substantially as described.

22. In a recorder, the combination of tape -moving mechanism, releasing-mechanism therefor, a plurality of cutting-bars bearing cutting-tools for the recording-tape, electromagnetically operated actuating-levers for said bars, respectively, and means, common' to all said actuating-levers and connected with the releasing-mechanism, whereby said.l releasing-mechanism is operated by any one of said actuating-levers, substantially as described. A

23. In a recorder, the combination of tapeizo moving mechanism, releasing-mechanism therefor, a plurality ot markers adapted to slot the tape, separate electro-magnetically operated actuating-devices tor said markers, and means common to all said actuating' devices for operating said releasing-mechanism, and means tor stopping said tape-moving mechanism when all the circuits connected with the recorder have remained normal for a predetermined period of time, substantially as described.

24.. ln a recorder, the combination of tapemoving mechanism, releasing mechanism therefor, a plurality ot cutting bars bearing cutting tools for the recording tape, electromagnetically operated actuating levers for said bars respectively, and means common to all said actuating levers and connected with the releasing-mechanism whereby said releasingr mechanism is operated by any one of said actuating levers, and means for stoppingsaid tape-moving mechanism when all the circuits connected .With the recorder have remained normally tor a predetermined period ofjtime, substantially as described.

25. In a recorder, the combination o tapemoving mechanism; kreleasingmechanism therefor, a cutting-bar bearing a cutting` tool, electro-magnetically operated actuating-means for depressing said bar to cause the tool to puncture the tape and for then disengaging. it, independent means for litting the cutting-tool to remove it from the tape as soon as itis disengaged by the actun ating-means, and means also operatedby said actuating-means tor operating said releasing-mechanism, y substantially as dev 2G. A recorder including a cutting-tool adapted to slot the recording-tape, und a support for said recording-tape having an aperture of a shape different from the slot which is cut in the tape, into which said cutting-tool projects when slotting the tape', substantially as described.

27. A recorder including a slotting-tool adapted to form slots in the recording-tape, by means ot a continuous cutting action, and a support for the recording-tape having an aperture ot a shape dierent from the slot formed in the tape, into which said slottingtool projects when slotting the tape, .substantially as described.

28. recorder including a slottingtool adapted to form slots in the recording-tape by means of a continuons cutting action, and a support for the recording-tape having an aperture larger than the slot formed in the tape, into which said slotting-tool projects when slotting the tape, substantially as described.

29. A recorder including a pointed marker adapted to puncture the recording-tape and form slots therein by a continuous cutting action, substantially as described.

in testimony whereof, l have signed my name to this specification, in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses.

NATHAN H. SUREN. lfl/'itnesses d. A. A. Hour, C. MoUL'roN. 

